Hearts Grow
by somnambule
Summary: "Somewhere in the midst of Kakashi's blatant sarcasm, Sakura's trail of tears dried up." The beginning of a kakashi sakura fic; He's waited for her, but by the time she realizes that what she's always wanted is him, will it be too late?


As Sakura let her dress slip to the floor, it felt incomprehensible the reason why that fluttering piece of clothing didn't hit the ground with the weight of a jeep from a sky scraper. Truly the silent settling to the floor couldn't begin to do justice to the significance of the action and risk behind it. Sakura was nearly angry at the dress that now cluttered the ground for not recognizing the significance of its own fall. After all with the slip of her hands beneath the thread like straps, Sakura was inevitably _baring_ herself to the man before her. And despite the embarrassingly obvious fact glaring at her that said man had shed his attire a vest, shirt, mask, shinobi sandals, and pair of pants ago, it made this unveiling no less unnerving. In fact, perhaps it made it even worse because the guy was so unbearably, _intimidating-ly _perfect.

"Sakura? Don't pass out 'kay? We can stop, right now, we can put our clothes back on and… play scrabble! You could even go home if you want and think this through; you could tell me to cover my eyes and you could get right back in that dress, you could…", he rushed through his lips to reassure her, his hands splayed, palms up, in defensive sheepishness to match his facial expression.

But she wasn't even looking at the un- clad man before her anymore. Sakura's eyes couldn't break contact with her dress that now lay upon the floor. As if in her eyes' enigmatic desire to close the distance between them and the dress, Sakura began to cry.

There was a pause before Kakashi realized this, and despite sensing her sudden anxiety immediately, the abrupt moisture that broke forth from the green that shone through in her eyes was a shock to the heart. As well as a deflator to his arousal.

"Sakura!", Kakashi grabbed a robe and was prepared to cover her trembling shoulders, but was hurt to sort out a flinch, from his proximity, from the tremors of her sobbing.

"Relax, I'm not about to jump on you while your face is leaking like that," he grumbled as he laid the coverage over her naked frame.

"Oh god! I'm not only a slut but I'm a tease too!"

"I don't think it's possible to accomplish both of those at the same time," he sighed.

"No, I just did it! I'm so sorry." Sakura rushed out in a flurry of guilty frustration. " I'm indecisive and stupid, and I'm not even worth it because, you maybe didn't notice it yet, but I'm not even that pretty!"

"Sweet Jesus, you're right, you really aren't even that attractive. That's why I decided to widen my reputation as a pervert by romancing you into a relationship, and into bed, with me. It's also why I enjoy your companionship. And why I've waited for you to be okay with us. I sort of thought you were pretty, but now that I really look, I don't really find you all that great and I've completely lost interest in you now."

Somewhere in the midst of Kakashi's blatant sarcasm, Sakura's trail of tears dried up.

"You're such an asshole," she sniffled, abashed at his openness, ironically since he was being sarcastic, and gave a friendly (well mostly) punch on the shoulder that Kakashi knew would leave a bruise. He would wear it with pride.

"Yeah, I love you too. Want some coffee?" It wasn't clear if he was joking or not there. The love part, not the coffee.

"Yes please and thanks." But before Kakashi was about to rise from his crouch, as they'd somehow fallen to the ground in the thick of Sakura's short break down, Sakura took grasp of the side of Kakashi's face in order to secure a warm, apologetic kiss upon his lips.

Which then turned inevitably deeper as Kakashi sucked up any affection given, since he knew he wasn't getting any tonight. Kakashi weaved his calloused, ungloved hands into her now messy pink hair.

After a bit of indulging, Kakashi broke the sweet kiss to speak, "Hey Sakura, I don't want you to feel cornered by my wants or my feelings, or me, or anyone else for that matter." He scratched his head awkwardly, seeming to be embarrassed by his own words, but maybe his head just itched. And as she looked up to watch Kakashi tousle his miraculously attractive, messy hair, Sakura could no longer tell. The mask was back on, the window to Kakashi now shut tight. But when the hell did he put his _physical _mask back on? "The point is, don't be afraid to be demanding with me."

Kakashi, somehow yet again clothed, slouched out of the room to the kitchen to start the promised coffee.

"Hey Kakashi?" Sakura called.

"Yeah, I know, two creams, one sugar. What a girl drink."

"It's _not_ a girl drink, I just don't appreciate the taste of dirt like you!" Sakura fumed momentarily, then "That wasn't even what I was going to say!"

Sakura hesitated.

Kakashi stepped back into the room, sensing. "Out with it."

"… Nothing. Thanks for dinner tonight. I should get home after coffee," she said as she pulled the robe around herself more securely.

He gave her an unsatisfied look but knew that if Sakura didn't want to answer, she wasn't going to.

"Alright."

As they enjoyed the coffee and Kakashi and she passed banter back and forth, Sakura couldn't help but feel… uneased. Like it was imperative that she not hold back. But this fear only increased this gut-held anxiety that she couldn't shake, made Sakura even more reluctant to tell him what she wanted. What was in her heart.


End file.
